Awards and prizes

Comfort, landscape and biodiversity form the three keystones of the Nîmes Pont-du-Gard project. The new multimodal hub is part of the Nîmes-Montpellier bypass and has been designed to both meet the users' needs and reduce the environmental impact of the station's operation.

Managing the environmental impactThe multimodal hub is located within an exceptional site. From the outset, ecodesign provided the obvious framework to help balance the objectives of the project and the "Bâtiments Durables Méditerranéens" (Sustainable Mediterranean Buildings) process emerged as the most fitting tool. This is neither a label nor a certification, but a benchmark of environmental performance focusing on the impact of materials, biodiversity protection, thermal comfort, and water management.

Blending seamlessly into the landscapeThe architectural project builds on the components of the landscape in order to ensure continuity between the building and the surrounding vegetation. Because of its transparency, the building blends seamlessly into the environment while its glazed façades reveal the internal layout, as well as the connections and vertical circulations. Landscaped passageways guide pedestrians to the platforms.

Achieving year-round thermal comfortEnsuring comfort and energy performance is key in a region where the mistral can blow fiercely and the sun can be blazing. The three-layered roof filters daylight, mitigates solar radiation and ensures watertightness. The car park does not only provide a shady shelter, but also acts as a photovoltaic solar plant. The simulations carried out by AREP Environnement and AREP Expertise led to high-performance solutions enabling thermal comfort all year round.

Preserving biodiversity and natural resourcesWater retention ponds and swales that increase water infiltration are some of the solutions implemented to deal with water scarcity on the site. The existing groves have been maintained and environmental actions have been taken to preserve the local fauna. No doubt the ocellated lizard, an endangered species living in the site, appreciates those initiatives.

Last news

AREP wins Silver BIM award for Nîmes-Manduel railway station

2017.09.20

AREP won the Silver BIM award (BIM d'Argent) for the new Nîmes-Manduel-Redessan station, a project submitted in the "5,000-40,000 sqm new project" category.

The Golden BIM award, which was awarded jointly to Egis Rail and the Société du Grand Paris, also included Duthilleul practice and AREP for their collaboration in the project management of the future Grand Paris Express line 16.

The 2017 edition of the Golden BIM awards was organised by trade magazines Le Moniteur and Les Cahiers Techniques du Bâtiment along with Autodesk, the CINOV federation, Attic+, Finalcad and Prosys. Overall, several infrastructure and rail projects were awarded prizes during this fourth edition.